Welcome to the September Newsletter! At the beginning of each month, I'll post a newsletter detailing what we'll be learning about, upcoming assessments, how to support learning at home, and more. I'll add pictures and more information as we go through the month, sending reminders via Parent Square.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Caring School Community is our SEL curriculum, and it does a fabulous job of teaching students the social skills needed to be successful in the classroom and beyond. This month is all about how to be a good partner, which students will have each week for our morning meetings and closing circles. How can you show you are listening to your partner? At the end of each week a Home Connection paper should come home for you to discuss with your student.
We will also review our classroom break space and introduce many tools that will help with self regulation and conflict management: Think Sheets, The Zones of Regulation, the Green Zone Tool Box, Kelso's Wheel of Choices, and more.
English Language Arts (ELA) Wit and Wisdom Module 1 Family Tip Sheet
Our first Module is called A World of Books and the overarching focus question is, How do books change lives around the world? This month we meet Tomàs, the son of a migrant family working in the fields in Iowa, who discovers the local library in Tomàs and the Library Lady. We will focus on retelling the story using a story map, as well as writing our own narrative retelling of the story. Soon after that we meet Ana and the Biblioburro.
Phonics/Foundational Skills Fundations Unit 1 Home Support
We are currently doing a quick review of all the letters of the alphabet and how to write them correctly on the "sky line, plane line, grass line, and worm line." Then in Unit 2 we work "tapping out" CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words like bat or red, as well as trick words like a, and, the, is, and his.
Math iReady Unit 1
The first three math lessons (weeks) focus on number partners for 10, adding and subtracting within 10, and using counting strategies to add and subtract.
Social Studies
This month our content rotation focus will be Social Studies. Unit one is all about Families, Culture, and Communities. It is a new curriculum for me this year, and I am excited see how it unfolds and how we build our knowledge and appreciation of those in our classroom community, our families, and beyond.
iReady Inform: Math and Reading assessment window 9/8-9/21. The math assessment was formerly called the diagnostic. The reading assessment is new to us this year. Both are benchmark assessments taken three times a year, and provide me with good data to inform my small group and whole group instruction. They also show student growth over the fall, winter, and spring. The assessments are taken on the computer, in fun and familiar digital environment, with many supports like directions being read aloud, and built in game breaks.
Weekly "Comprehension Checks" at the end of each math lesson/week.
End of Unit 1 Phonics Assessment - can students correctly write the letters of the alphabet?
Coming soon, blurbs from our fabulous Art, Library, Music, and PE teachers!
This is from our Capitol Hill Core Values: Inclusivity & Kindness, Health and Wellbeing, Respect & Honesty, Growth Mindset. It is especially important as we set the tone for the year ahead in our classroom community.
Math home support letters are sent home at the beginning of each week. There are suggested activities to do at home that will reinforce and extend the concept we are currently learning. Try them out! No need to return them to school.
Read 20 minutes each night. This can be your first grader reading to themselves, or you reading to them, or even them listening to an audio book. This should be a positive time - not a battle.
Sept 9 Picture Day
Sept 11 Volunteer Training from 8:30–9:00 a.m.
Sept 16 Early Release - dismissal at 11:50
Sept 24 Back to School Night
Sept 25 Family Reading Morning ** These will be held the last Friday of each month from 8:00-8:25 am.** Come read with us in Room 107!
Each month we'll ask for feedback about a certain classroom topic. This month is about school supplies. Thanks in advance for your feedback!